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Monthly Archives: January 2018

We have a number of fun events and educational January/February newsletter issue here.

Curious about Heritage Club and the benefits of being a member? Stop by and visit your local banker or visit our website to learn more.

Gretchen's Corner

Welcome to 2018 and the start to a brand new year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. It’s the beginning of a new calendar year where we will celebrate new bank openings, meet new friends and celebrate a new year!

In 2017, we opened our new Rugby bank with a glorious grand opening in late October. The day was perfect, temperatures in high 70’s, no wind and we landed on a wonderful day to celebrate both inside and outside the new bank building. Steve and I, along with our family and staff, were happy to see so many people attend the Grand Opening along with the dedicating of our new/old HUB sign. The HUB was a landmark restaurant in Rugby located on Highway 2. We built our new bank on the site and kept the original HUB sign which was located on the post directly on the highway. The sign was gorgeous, filled with memories of the beloved HUB coffee shop and landmark. I have always loved the sign with the large picture of North America. I told the architects early in the project “the sign needs to stay in the original spot but lets re-locate it inside the new bank.” Well….signs do not always look very large when mounted 30 feet in the air! When the contractor took the sign down, we found out the sign measured 16 feet across and weighed 3,800 pounds! The HUB sign was a bit larger than expected for a simple wall mount. In order to keep the sign in the building, we had to re-configure the fireplace three times to make it strong enough to hold the HUB sign. We also needed to place the sign in the building before the roof, doors and walls were up. I had a few architects and contractors give me “the look” during the process, but it all turned out fantastic and the sign is amazing, securely mounted on the fireplace! The original owners of the HUB attended the grand opening and served HUB stew and treats that were popular at the restaurant. It was a Grand Day in Rugby!

What's Happening Now

Winter Safety Tips

‘Tis the time of the year where snow accumulations tend to build and temperatures drop – at least for those who stay in the upper mid-west. We want to make sure you stay safe this season so you can continue to enjoy time with your family and friends.

Taking a Road Trip?

The National Safety Council recommends you keep these winter essentials in yor car:

AAA offers these winter driving tips to assure you get to your destination, safely:

Never mix radial tires with other types of tires

If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather

Do not use cruise control in wintery conditions

Look and steer in the direction you want to go

Accelerate and decelerate slowly

Increase following distance to 8 to 10 seconds

Know whether you have antilock brakes, which will “pump” the brakes for you in a skid

If possible, don’t stop when going uphill

Keep your gas tank at least half-full

If you do get stranded, don’t try to push your vehicle out of snow

Signal distress with a brightly colored cloth tied to the antenna or in a rolled up window

The National Safety Council recommends the following tips if you shovel snow:

Do not shovel after eating or while smoking

Take it slow and stretch out before you begin

Shovel only fresh, powdery snow; it’s lighter

Push the snow rather than lifting it

If you do lift it, use a small shovel or only partially fill the shovel

Lift with your legs, not your back

Do not work to the point of exhaustion

Heritage Club Highlights

Elgin - Join us February 14 for Valentine's Day!Fargo-Moorhead - We'll be hosting a lunch and learn workshop February 16. Come and learn the different uses and properties of your cell phone. Harvey - Stop in and register between February 1–14 to win a supper for two. Killdeer - Join us for a card party January 17.Fessenden - Sign up for a drawing to work tickets to the Fireman's supper in February. Minot - Stop in and register between February 5–9 to win a dinner for two. Williston - Stop in for cookies and coffee anytime!Staples/Motley- Come in and register between February 5–13 to win an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.Watford City - Join us at Six Shooter's Showhall January 31 for a showing of the movie Miracle on Ice.

Featured Recipe

We would love to feature your recipe in the next edition of our Heritage Club newsletter. Submit your favorite recipe by email or mail (3001 25th St. S, Fargo, ND 58103 - Attn: Marketing). Be sure to add a note about what makes the recipe special!

As you may know from recent media coverage, cybersecurity experts announced two major security flaws this week, known as Spectre and Meltdown. The flaws could potentially allow an attacker to read sensitive data stored in a device's memory like passwords, or read documents open on a computer.

Normally, applications are not able to do that because they are isolated from each other and the operating system. This hardware bug breaks that isolation. Experts are still researching how hackers could take advantage of these vulnerabilities, but you are likely vulnerable if you use a laptop, desktop PC, tablet, server, smartphone, or a cloud service.

What is First International Bank & Trust doing about this?

As a best practice, the Bank updates our software and hardware with the latest patches on a timely basis. First International Bank and Trust will apply the latest patches to mitigate against Spectre and Meltdown. In general, First International Bank and Trust utilizes multiple layers of cybersecurity defenses to protect our network and customer information from cybersecurity threats. Security and the safety of your information is and always will be a top priority for First International Bank and Trust.

What can you do about these threats?

Watch for software, operating system and web browser updates from companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google Chrome, Firefox, etc. Install updates immediately, or turn on automatic updates where available. Also keep an eye on trusted media outlets for additional news.

Beyond that, continue to follow security best practices, and always “Think Before You Click.”

Do not open emails from people you don’t know. If you weren’t expecting the email, or if it includes an urgent message to act, it is most likely a bad email and you should not open the email. Remember to not click on links or download attachments.

Avoid websites you aren’t familiar with. Avoid sketchy parts of the internet. Do not click on advertisements, popup windows, or download files or plug-ins unless you know that they are safe.

Remember to not share your password or personal information. Legitimate vendors will not ask for your personal information or passwords unsolicited. First International Bank and Trust will never ask for your personal information or password unsolicited.

Be alert for social engineering scams related to Spectre and Meltdown announcements. These follow most major cyber incidents, and Meltdown and Spectre will be no different. Only apply patches from trusted companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google etc.